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iPad Wait List and Seating Management Service Is On Track to Surpass Open Table’s Volume By End of 2014

NoWait Restaurant App

We found that NoWait's algorithm is more accurate than when we quote our own wait times.

New York, NY (PRWEB)October 10, 2013

The iPad-based wait list and seating management service NoWait today releases the first artificial intelligence feature for restaurant management. The new feature includes a proprietary algorithm that predicts an accurate wait for a party that would like to be seated, helping take the guesswork out of the host’s hands.

The algorithm takes into account the current wait list, the flow of the people through the restaurant and the historical data of that restaurant. In testing, wait times quoted by the algorithm were more reliable than average quoted wait times calculated by the restaurant host.

“We found that NoWait’s algorithm is more accurate than when we quote our own wait times. Being able to quote wait times more accurately makes our customers happier and makes it easier for us to run our restaurant efficiently,” said Jimmy Kuhl, General Manager of Burgatory, a popular casual Pittsburgh burger restaurant.

Predictive waits is the first step towards a more comprehensive artificial intelligence solution for the front of the house, as NoWait continues to work towards implementing sophisticated technology solutions for casual dining. NoWait has two patents pending that focus on the intersection of guest engagement, location and wait time quoting that will expand the artificial intelligence platform into restaurants.

The new feature comes on the heels of the initial local launch last month of NoWait’s consumer-facing app - which allows diners in Pittsburgh to view wait times at nearby restaurants and remotely add their name to the wait list. It also comes as the startup reaches a milestone of seating 20 million diners through their app nationally. With NoWait now trending towards seating 3 million diners a month, this growth rate puts the company on track to surpass OpenTable’s volume by the end of 2014.

More than 3,500 restaurants are using the restaurant app, including 12 national chains and many popular independent restaurants from well-known chefs including Marc Vetri, Hubert Keller and Iron Chef Jose Garces.

“We’re growing so quickly in this space because we provide a product and service that offers more to restaurants than just an app,” said NoWait CEO Ware Sykes.

“We know from our experience and from constant communication with restaurants that the ability to more accurately quote wait times has a huge effect on business and this new feature is taking the guesswork out of this process.”